The mayor of Kharkov comes out against separatism in Ukraine

KHARKOV, February 24, 0:46 /ITAR-TASS/. Gennady Kernes, the head of the Kharkov city administration, came out against separatism upon his return to Ukraine on Sunday. He told journalists at the airport that the main task of state power bodies was to ensure Ukraine’s security and integrity.

Kernes said that a possible ban of the Russian language in Ukraine and a discussion of that subject could destabilize the situation even further.

“It is true that Ukrainian is a state language in Ukraine. But think of how many people in the country speak Russian,” Kernes went on to say.

The mayor admitted that he had had no contacts with the new authorities so far. “The new power is in the process of being formed,” the mayor of Kharkov said.